A Night Under the Stars
by Tippy.LaRoux
Summary: A peek into the life of Harry and Blaise. Their daughter Jillian helps plan a fun evening under the stars.


For the ever amazing Gwen. I tried to post on the drabble tag, but FFn had other plans. I really hope it makes you smile.

Characters/Ships: Blaise Zabini/Harry Potter

Prompt: Cuddle Pile

WC 1155

"Please, Papa," bright green eyes peered up at Blaise through a riotous mess of black curls. The toddler displayed her best doleful expression, and Blaise tried his best to not melt on the spot. "Zio Charlie sent it special, and I wanna watch it again." When her lower lip began to tremble he crumbled like a house of Exploding Snap cards.

"Alright, Dolcezza." Blaise took the much loved DVD from his daughter's hands. "But we need to wait until Daddy is home from work." A quick glance at the clock over the mantle told him Harry was wrapping things up at work and would be home soon. "What do you say we surprise him with dinner and a movie under the stars?"

He would give her anything to hear the joyful squeal that followed. It took years of trying before he and Harry were blessed with the never-too-spoiled ray of sunshine gripping onto his hand. Blaise swung her up onto the counter and with a few flicks of his wand had the oven lit, and a greased pie tin headed towards a marble slab next to Jillian. The two made their famous breakfast-for-dinner: bacon and cheese quiche, with crisp Belgium waffles.

While everything was cooking, Blaise went out to the garden and filled a corner with squashy pillows and cozy blankets. It was a perfectly clear late summer night. The air was cool, the first evening stars were peppering the sky, and a soft hint of the last summer blooms perfumed the air. With a few candles dancing above the spread, and a white sheet enchanted to hang in place of a movie screen, Blaise took one last look around before heading back into the house and waiting for Harry to make it home.

It only took until Blaise had the dinner and drinks set up on a tray for Harry to arrive from the Ministry. He was brushing the soot off his shoulders when a blur of purple robes and black curls flew into his arms. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! Guess what me and Papa did?" Her little face burrowed into his neck for a smooch while he tried to contain the excited squirming ball of energy in his arms.

"What did you and Papa do today? Did he take you to the park?" Harry walked into the house, drawn to the kitchen by the exquisite smells and sounds of flatware tinkling.

"Nope." She leaned back to look into his face, and misjudged how far she should push. His Seeker skills kicked in and he grabbed onto her back before she slipped out of his arms. A wide smile broke across her face; she was such a little daredevil. He put her down on the floor and she grabbed his hand to pull him into the kitchen. "Well, yes! But that isn't it."

"Hi, Babe." Harry reached the kitchen island and leaned over it to leave a small kiss on Blaise's lips. "How was your day."

"Well, by the sound of it, not nearly as exciting as yours." Harry smiled at his husband and snuck around the corner to grab a piece of bacon from one of the plates on the tray. "Breakfast for dinner? That must mean I am in for a real treat tonight!"

"Oh, but you are." Blaise leaned in and whispered conspiritorily in Harry's ear, "Another screening of How to Train Your Dragon."

Harry paused for a second before popping the last bit of bacon in his mouth. "Well, three times this month is better than the thirty-six times last month." The five-year-old had already made a beeline for the pile of pillows and was arranging them just so.

"I'd agree with you, if there had been more than four days in the month so far."

It was her favorite movie. They all visited Charlie last year at the dragon sanctuary and she'd fallen in love; with the dragons, with the flying, and with her super cool Uncle Charlie.

"It could be worse…" Harry said over his shoulder as he made his way out to the backyard. Friday movie night was one of their favorite traditions. They would pick a movie and watch it as a family; which was a nice way to end a work week. That their precocious daughter often fell asleep before the end of act one… well, that was just a bonus. Being out under the stars was going to make this one perfect.

"Cuddle pile!" Harry shouted when he got up to the squirming bundle of blankets. He knelt down and tickled Jillian until her peals of laughter could be heard outside the wards surrounding their house.

"Daddy!" Her breathless shout was muffled by the blankets and pillows. "You're squishing Toothless and Norbert!" The black and green pair of plushies appeared from under blanket and put Harry on the defence. They attacked him with enthusiastic kisses and great big roars until he too was begging for a reprieve.

"Dinner is served," came a voice from the garden door.

"Let me help you with that." Harry took the pitcher of Blaise's famous fizzy lemonade along with the glasses and put them on a low table he'd transfigured a square pillow into. They ate dinner and each took turns to talk about their favorite part of the week so far. It warmed Harry's heart to see the two smiling faces across the table from him. Ten years ago, if someone had told him his life would be full of this much love and smiles, he would not have believed them.

After dinner, Harry took the tray laden with remains of dinner to the house for cleaning. By the time he got back to the corner of the garden Blaise and Jillian had the movie queued up, and everyone's spot ready. The sun had set and the stars were coming out in full force. It was perfect.

Harry was in the middle, always. Blaise was stretched out behind him. His arm draped over Harry's side and their fingers' interlocked on instinct. Jillian began the movie sitting paying rapt attention to the screen. By the time Hiccup met Toothless, however, she had laid down and cuddled into Harry's chest.

"Can every night end like this?" Harry had turned his head back to whisper to Blaise. Careful to not rouse the five-year-old that had just stated breathing in the slow even pattern that heralded the beginnings of slumber.

"Please." Blaise whispered back, placing a soft kiss behind Harry's ear. "But, and I'm just throwing this out there, maybe we could put the kid in her bed and have our own cuddle pile in our bed?"

It took a few minutes for Blaise to put everything back to where it belonged, while Harry tucked their daughter into bed. If their own cuddle pile led to more that night, who could blame them. It was a beautiful way to end a beautiful day.


End file.
